The present invention relates to a method of and a device for guiding plate-shaped objects such as printed circuit boards through the container filled with an electro-plating bath.
Such devices and methods are known and serve for galvanizing printing circuit boards utilized in electronics, in electro-plating containers, with copper or other metals. Such a device has been disclosed, for example, in DE-OS No. 32 36545. In this conventional device, objects being electro-plated are guided through the container filled with the electrolysis liquid in the horizontal position. Inasmuch as the plate-shaped objects must be located in the electrolysis bath in the container during the electro-plating process and take the aforementioned horizontal position the problem arises that the sizes of inlet and outlet openings in the container for the objects being treated therein must ensure, on the one hand, the passage of the objects therethrough. On the other hand, the mirror of the electrolytic liquid in the container must be higher than the position of these through openings for the objects being electro-plated because otherwise the galvanizing process cannot be executed. The problem which occurs in this case resides in that these passage openings must be sealed against the electrolytic liquid or means must be provided to ensure that all leaked liquid be returned into the bath. Such arrangements are quite expensive but must be provided because the horizontal transportation of the objects being electroplated to the container and from the container is also important when these objects must be treated in the horizontal position before they enter the container and/or after they exit from the container.